Public apathy fuelling dengue spread, warns Health Experts

By PRANAVESH SIVAKUMAR  

Dr. Priscila Samaraweera, from Sri Lanka’s National Dengue  Control Unit, called on people too, to contribute to the cause of  containing the dengue fever without entirely leaving the onus to the  Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) and other authorities.  

Western Province is leading the lot, with its capital  Colombo, CMC (for health issues, CMC is deemed another area), Gampaha,  Kalutara and National Institute for Health Science recording 7,988 or  45%.  

In this backdrop, Dr Samaraweera said that when they and other  authorities carry out programmes (fumigation and cleaning) they can  reduce cases spreading to other provinces. However, all these are  defeated when Colombo residents commute to other provinces.  

“This disease spreads when the patient is down with a  fever. During that time, the dengue virus is in the peripheral blood. During  that time, when a mosquito bites and takes the virus into its body,  that replicates. That’s how the spreads occur. Especially when  non-Colombo residents develop fever and go to their homes in other  provinces, then it spreads, she explained.  

Dr Samaraweera also raised, “CMC or any other local  authority cannot do everything. People should do their part. We can’t  inspect each and every house, every school, every institution. They  should adjust their lifestyle to clean their premises once a week. Till  that is done, this outbreak continues to break”.   

“The attention from people to prevent breeding places is lacking”, she rued.  

Emphasising Western Province has higher numbers of  cases, she also reasoned that since health care staff also went on  vacation last month, that has aggravated the issue.  

“That’s why we have allocated the whole of this month for mosquito controlling”.  

Commenting on the situation, claiming it is not that serious, she said that last month also was not good.  

“Last month was not good. With next week being the election  week and Vesak week also fast-approaching, a crucial period is ahead”,  Dr. Samaraweera concluded.